Eyes of the Devil Rewrite
by Vincent.V
Summary: Sakura lost everything. Her home, her innocence, everything. She's all alone. Until fate thrust her into the world of an assassin thats closer to her than she knows. Will he plunge her further into darkness, or will they both find salvation in each other?
1. Chapter 1

Eyes of the Devil Rewrite

Chapter 1

A/n- Okay, this is a rewrite of one of my older stories, and one I've wanted to revisit for a long time.

Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto nor any characters other than those I've created from my noggin.

WARNING! This story contains explicit scenes including violence, gore, sexual content, torture and rape. If you're not comfortable with these I would advise leaving. NOW!

_Footsteps echoed down the dull, dark halls of her prison, rousing her from her latest repeal._

"_Oh god…" She whispered, curling into a haphazard ball. It took all of her might to push herself up against the wall, the shackles that continuously drained her chakra clanging loudly on the floor._

"_Please god no… no more…" She prayed, knowing her nightmare was only just getting started. The door creaked open and her heart stopped._

"_Wake up, little blossom." His voice spoke softly, as if to a lover. Her body started to shake as he approached her, but she managed to regain control just as he was mere inches from her. His fingers slid through her hair gently, caressing her long tresses with the utmost tenderness._

_But it was a lie… It was always a lie with him…_

_She kept her eyes closed tight, refusing to look at him. She stayed slumped against the dirty wall, feigning sleep. She was in so much pain. Her whole body throbbed from his previous "sessions" with her. Maybe if he thought she was unconscious he'd go away. Maybe, just maybe, he would leave her in peace for once._

_She was wrong…_

"_Look at me!" He growled, grabbing her up by her hair, her knees scrapping against the cold stone floor. Her eyes shot open and her cracked, bloodied lips parted as she screamed in agony. Emerald glared into onyx as they stared at each other, hatred matched by madness. "There's a good girl." He sneered, cocking his head to one side. His eyes studied her with an almost childish curiosity, as if he was a child with a new toy. His smirk turned into a frown, and she tensed, bracing herself for the pain. "What happened to your defiance, blossom?" He asked tracing her jaw with his fingers._

_She stared at him with a blank, hollow expression._

_She screamed as the hand tracing her jaw slammed into her cheek, sending her crashing to the ground as his other hand let go of her hair._

_He watched her as she curled into a ball on the ground, hands covering her face. He saw the blood seeping from between her fingers and his grimace deepened. She lay, silent as she cradled her wounded cheek. Her body was covered from head to toe in bruises, burns, and cuts. He'd had fun with her these past few weeks._

_Dragging her up by her hair once more he brutally slammed her head into the wall, pressing her skull into the stone. She cried out as she hit, blood seeping from the gash on her forehead. Her body was shaking now, almost uncontrollably._

"_I said, look at me you filth!" He growled; his tone seething as he threw her back to the ground. His foot slammed into her ribs as he viciously kicked her, snapping them like twigs._

_Blood sprayed from her mouth as he beat her, her body slamming into the wall behind her with each blow._

"_I won't cry…" She screamed inwardly, every ragged breath making her broken for beg for death._

"_You know I don't like it when you don't obey me." He said coldly, drawing his sword slowly._

_She heard the soft click of the blade being freed from its sheath and she lost it._

_With strength she didn't know she had anymore she dove for the door, but he was too strong. He caught her by the chain of her shackles and slammed her against the wall, his face inches from hers as he pressed her hand against the wall._

_She knew what he was doing. Her hands would be sealed to the wall by the shackles and then he would really start to have his way with her. So she fought._

"_NO!" She screamed, flailing against him. He laughed at her as he renewed his pressure against her hands. "PLEASE! PLEASE!" She begged. The moment she felt the blade on her throat she froze, eyes the size of saucers._

"_Now, now; I don't want you to do something foolish. After all I have plans for you tonight."_

"_Please, no more…" She begged._

_He didn't stop, and neither did her screams. His blade dug into her flesh, and each time he relished the screams he got from her. She was trained. She could take the beatings. But the blade brought out a special terror from her. And so did what he had planned for her for later that night._

"_Why?" She begged._

_He'd taken a break. He'd stepped back and just stared at her beaten, bloodied form. He'd watched the blood flowing from her fresh wounds. He was drinking in the sight of her body struggling for breath, tired from the beatings, tired from all the screaming._

"_Why are you doing this…" She said between ragged breaths. "I told you… wh…at… yo…u wanted… to… kn…ow…" She struggled out, losing strength fast._

"_Hmmm…" He said softly, his tone mocking. "Maybe I'll tell you later…" He said, raising his sword. Electricity danced along the blade as he channeled his chakra into the torturous weapon._

"_Please…" She begged softly. She'd given up. Her emerald eyes were cold and lifeless. "No mo…re… Just… kill… me…"_

"_I wish it was that simple." He murmured so low she barely heard it over her panting breaths. He poised his blade just above her stomach and she started to cry again._

"_No more… kill me…" She begged, but was cut short by his lips slamming onto hers. He pulled back and smirked sadistically…._

"_Hush now… After all…" He said, pushing the blade through her skin despite her scream of agony._

"_Sasuke…"_

"_We're only just getting started, Sakura." He murmured, channeling his chakra into the blade._

_Her screams filled the quiet night, echoing around the walls of the abandoned compound._

Sakura bolted up, stifling a scream. Her breathing was ragged as she buried her face in her hands, sobbing softly. She was trembling so hard she thought she might come apart.

"It was only a dream…" She whispered, repeating it over and over in her head. "It's over… It was only a dream." She though desperately. Her body was numb from the cold, her sleeping bag being of little help this late in October. The clothes she'd worn to sleep in that night had wound themselves around her lithe body, twisted and soaked in cold sweat.

The cold air burned in her lungs as she took deep, soothing breaths, desperately trying to will the memories away. The trees whispered around her as a cold breeze passed.

Sakura sighed softly, leaning into it. The cold air soothed her heated, sweaty skin. She sat there for a long time, trying to re-numb her runaway emotions. After a while she got some of her composure back, but the visions were still vivid in her mind.

Glancing up at the sky, she sighed heavily. It was almost dawn, streaks of fire racing across the dark clouds. The trees obscured her view somewhat but she could tell it would be morning soon.

With one final deep breath she stood. She needed to pack up camp and get back on the road before too much longer. If she didn't make it out of this valley before nightfall she might get snowed in and be stuck her for the entire winter.

The trees were practically barren, and the cold had already set in. She was high in shadow country, a small sliver of land lying between the borders of Fire and Rain countries. The small nation ran along almost half of the western border of Fire, but was barely an eighth as wide. It was fairly flat terrain to the south, but the farther north you went, the rougher the land got. Around the capital, Hitsuya, it was mostly just hills, But as far north as she was the mountains were massive, only roughly half of them showing under the clouds. This forest was one of several littering the valley floor. It was the longest valley in shadow country and the most isolated place Sakura had ever been to. It took two days to cross and when the winter snows came both passes were sealed, making it near impossible to leave for the remainder of the winter.

Which was why Sakura had to get out of there, and soon…

She packed up her belongings, storing them safely in her pack before setting out just as the light started to peak its way through the clouds. It was later in the day than she thought. It normally took until about 9:30 for the first light to make it over the mountains. She'd lost daylight, and that meant precious time. She'd heard of a storm approaching in the last village she was in, and she knew she had to get out of this valley.

She'd dressed more traditionally, wanting to fit in with the villagers. She donned a simple blue kimono with a floral design on it, tied with an obi of the same color. After all, if it came down to a fight… Well, she didn't want to think about it for now.

With hollow expression on her pale face, Sakura set out. Back to the endless wandering, and the never-ending feeling of emptiness that comes with being without a home.

She stopped, leaning against as tree for a moment, trying to hold back the torrent of emotions.

He'd taken everything from her… because of what he did to her she would never see her friends, her family, her beloved sensei, or even the village again…

She could never return to Konoha, if she did…

They would kill her on the spot.

The day dragged on, nothing but trees and a couple small animals to keep the wandering girl company. She had to admit she liked this placed. It was peaceful and quiet, something anyone who had ever been involved in the never ending bloodshed of the shinobi world craved.

Damn it.

The old man that had given her directions at the last village hadn't mentioned a fork in the road… He'd told her to stay straight and the road would take her straight through the valley, but the path ahead of her split at almost perfect right angles.

Sakura stood there, pondering her options. If she chose the wrong one, it would send her almost to the edge of the valley, setting her back by almost an hour.

A cool breeze hung in the air. It whispered through her hair and Sakura leaned into it, sighing in frustration.

"Hey there!"

Sakura jumped, her senses running wild. She calmed down when she saw a woman on the road to her left. The woman was coming towards her, a basket slung under her arm.

"Hello." Sakura said, bowing politely. She knew the people of this country were very old fashioned; manners were everything and she didn't want to cause waves.

"Oh my, darling you don't have to bow to me." The older woman said, laughing slightly. She was dressed like any other villager: a weathered kimono with the sleeves tied up so she could work. Sakura could tell she spent a lot of time in the fields from her light hair and tan complexion.

"Sorry." Sakura mumbled, attempting to avoid eye contact.

"Don't be." The woman said, beaming. "You're not from around here are you, missy?"

"No ma'am. I from down south near the capitol." Sakura lied. It was easy for her to lie nowadays.

"What's a pretty young lady like you doin out here on the road by yourself?"

"Just passing through; I'm heading back down south actually." She said.

"Well you don't wanna take this road sweetie you'll end up in the village. Take that bend there." She said, pointing to the road opposite them.

"Thanks." Sakura said politely, bowing again before turning to leave.

"You okay honey?" The woman asked, looking her up and down. The girl before was deathly pale and a little too thin for her taste. She was a mother and her intuition was running wild.

"Yes, I'm fine, just a little road weary." Sakura called back over her shoulder, putting on her best fake smile before heading off in the direction she'd told her.

"Well there's an old abandoned hut a few miles down. It's mostly used by hunters now but you might wanna stay the night." The woman called, watching the girl walk away. "There's a storm coming you know!" She called, but the pink haired girl was already out of earshot.

A few hours after mid-day the light began to fade behind the mountains and Sakura began to worry.

"How long is this fucking valley?" She though viciously. Spending another night out in the cold was not a thought she relished, much less the potential of being stuck in this valley until February when the snow melts.

The wind was picking up. Sakura knew the storm was fast approaching. It had stalled on the mountains for a few days, but now it had spilled into the valley, bolstered by the strong winds from the high peaks above them.

"Maybe an hour…" She thought pensively. There might not be enough time to get out by then. Maybe she could make it through before it got really bad. The pass was only a couple miles away now, maybe an hour or twos walk. But it was getting dark and she was exhausted. Maybe she should stop at that hut…

No. She didn't know anyone in this valley and she needed to get the hell out. There was no way she'd survive for three months in a hut with here measly provisions. Not to mention she was completely broke.

Sakura picked up the pace. Moving was the only thing she had left. She had to keep moving, wandering on and on until the end of her days. Meaningless, utterly pointless, but it was all she had to cling to. Tears slid down her pale face as she walked.

She'd suffered unspeakable horrors. Her home was robbed from her. Her sensei, the woman who had taught her everything, made her who she was, was dead…. Her friends thought her a traitor, and the worst part…

They were right…

Hours later she was still a good ways from the pass. The forest had closed in on her now, blanketing everything. All she could do was follow the road in the growing darkness. Before the last of the light had begun to fade she'd seen the mountains ahead, but it was almost pitch black now. The flashlight she kept in her bag was her only saving grace in the gloom.

A few flakes had begun to fall here and there, dusting the ground beneath her feet. Now she was regretting passing by the trail that led to that hut.

Screw getting out of the valley, starvation had to be better than death by exposure.

Sakura froze.

She knew that sound… That sound would remain burned in her mind for the rest of her life.

It was the sound of steel striking steel.

Sakura switched off the flashlight and immediately ducked into the bushes to her left, listening hard. She heard it again… and again… The distinctive clang echoing off the trees around her sent shivers down her spine, very, very bad memories springing to the front of her mind. She forced them down and tried to come back to reality.

Someone was battling close by and she was alone.

"Shit…" she growled.

The noises were coming closer. Sakura's body tensed, preparing to lash out with her monstrous strength.

She moved herself further from the road, desperate to get away but not wanting to reveal her presence at the same time. Using all her training, she moved with cat-like stealth until she was knelt behind a thick tree.

Now she could hear the two breathing, hear the growls and frustrated grunting of the battle. A cry split the silence for less than a second, drowned by the sound of steel scrapping against steel.

Suddenly she heard a tearing sound and a dull thud coming from the road a few yards up, followed by a sick, wet squelch. She though the heard someone moaning in pain for second, but quickly fell silent. Somebody just died less than thirty yards from her, but in the pressing darkness she couldn't see anything beyond maybe ten.

Her mind was racing and her heart was going a mile a minute. The unmistakable scent of blood was surrounding her and she could hear footsteps coming closer. She heard the sound of a sword being sheathed and her heart stopped. Whoever had lived through the confrontation was right on the other side of the tree.

She held her breath, ready to strike at any second.

A twig snapped to her left and she truck.

Sakura rounded on this unknown murder…

Only to be knocked down by him. The man had toppled over on her, taking her down with him in her surprise. She screamed and threw the man off of her, scrambling back from him until she hit another tree.

Her mind was reeling. What the hell just happened? Did all her reflexes go out the fucking window? This guy just fell on her.

She waited, unable to move. Desperately watching him, she waited for any sign of movement. A single twitch and she'd bash his skull in. But he didn't move. The only sound was the sound of her rapid breaths as she tried to calm herself.

Was he dead?

Sakura, cautiously, stepped over to him. He'd fallen in a heap right where she'd tossed him when he knocked her over. She knelt down and nervously felt for a pulse. It was there, but it was faint. She switched on her flashlight, kneeling down, and tried to get a look at his face.

Surprisingly he was fairly small, her inner medic noticed, taking in every detail of her new patient. From the look of him he was only a little taller than her. He was wearing a dark colored kimono and white hakama, though they were so stained and tattered it was hard to tell.

He had dark hair. A lot of it actually, it covered his face but that seemed suddenly less important to her. He was covered in blood; even with her pitiful flashlight she could see the crimson liquid matted in his hair and staining his tattered clothes.

"Fuck what do I do now…" she thought. On a whim, she grabbed the man by his shoulder and shook him. He didn't respond. His breathing was shallow and fast, and his body was shacking slightly. She couldn't tell if he was wounded or if it was from exposure.

I can't just leave you out here…" She said aloud, uncertain as to what to do next. She was sure this man had just killed someone, but at the same time she had no idea of the circumstances. There was talk in the last village of bandits in the area, but then again he could be one of them. "Fuck…" She growled.

What should she do? Her medic side demanded that she help him, but her realist side said to leave him and get the hell out of there. But she already knew what she was going to do. With a frustrated sigh she grabbed the man by his arm. Grunting she heaved the man up onto her shoulder, her knees almost buckling under his weight.

"Why do I have a conscience?" She asked aloud.

The snow started to fall faster, blanketing the world in white.

A/N well here we go again. ^^ I know there wasn't a lot in this first chapter but the content warning will apply to ALL chapters.

Well here is the first chapter of the new version of one of my favorite fanfic I've written. I know it's slow and probably will be for the first few but itll pick up I promise. XD Tell me what you think ^^


	2. Chapter 2

Eyes of the Devil Rewrite Chapter 2

A/N- well here's chapter 2. I just wanted to clarify that this story is non-canon, in case you haven't figured it out.

The door to the small cabin flew open, snow and wind blasting inside. Sakura staggered inside, barely making it three steps into the small hut before she collapsed under the weight of the man on her back. She managed to catch herself on all fours stopping just short of slamming face first into the floor. The man slid off her back, falling to the floor with an unceremonious thud.

Her entire body ached and her limbs were numb, so she just sat, gasping for air. She was soaked to the bone and her hair had long since come loose from the ponytail she had it in, random strands of pink falling into her eyes. She groaned as the tired muscles of her back spasm painfully. The long hike back to the cabin fighting the wind and snow had exhausted her, but she knew she had work to do.

With one final deep breath she stood, brushing the last of the melting snow off her kimono and surveyed the cabin.

It was small and cramped, but it would suffice. The musty smell of the place made her nose itch and the bitingly cold air burned in her lungs. The main room (and probably the only room, she thought bitterly) seemed to take up most of the hut. The floors were bare wood, and she could barely make out a makeshift kitchen on the far left. Finally she spotted the fireplace on the far side of the room and she walked over to it, quietly thanking whatever divine power was watching over her for the pile of dry wood stacked next to it.

Brushing a stray strand of pink hair out of her face she set to her task, tossing logs into the fireplace. Once she got a good fire going she searched the room, looking for anything that could help.

"Gotcha!" She muttered, dragging the blankets out of the cabinet and throwing them out on the floor. They were old and dusty, but beggars can't be choosers can they?

Sakura walked over to the man she left lying on the floor hoisted him up, half dragging him over to the makeshift bed she'd made for him. The pink haired girl growled angrily. She was exhausted and she still had to try to save this man's life.

There was no thought of why she was helping him. She was made that way, a healer through and through. Her mission in life had been to heal people and save lives and, despite everything that had happened to her, she couldn't ignore someone in need. It would be a disgrace to her beloved sensei's memory.

Tears sparkled in her eyes as she thought about her late shishou, but she forced herself to ignore the pain tugging at her heart. She had a task to accomplish and without… well it wasn't going to be easy, that was certain.

Quelling her raging emotions gathered her supplies from her pack and knelt down next to her patient. The walk to the cabin had been long and she'd been terrified he would succumb to hypothermia and die before she could help him, but he'd surprised her. The whole walk his heart kept beating steadily over and over, despite his labored breathing. Two fingers to his throat proved her right yet again. His will to live was incredible, to say this least.

Sakura pulled open the tattered and blood stained gi, revealing his the bare skin beneath. She was barely able to stifle the shocked gasp as she saw his chest revealed to her.

There, etched deep into the young warriors skin, was a massive, cross shaped scar.

"Oh my god…" She whispered, tracing the mark with her fingertips. The first slash started from the top of his right shoulder, travelling down his chest and abdomen until it disappeared under his hakama at his left him. The other mark was smaller, carved into the left side of his chest and ending just below the ribcage of his right side.

"What happened to you?" She whispered softly, brushing her hands over his body. The muscles beneath her hand tensed and quivered, and she couldn't help but notice how incredibly warm the man felt. He was burning up. She parted his hair with her right hand, feeling his forehead out of habit as she looked over his body for any injuries.

As she'd suspected he was running a ridiculously high fever, and he had several lacerations to his torso, the most severe of which was to his left side. None of the others seemed to be life threatening, so she set about stitching him up.

Pulling her medics pouch out she cleaned his wounds, expertly threaded the needle and began sewing his wounded flesh back together. He grunted in pain once or twice, the only proof that he was alive at this point. If only she could just use some of her chakra. This would be nothing. But no, here she was, utterly powerless and forced to resort to her most basic training. Well, she did have those scrolls…

Satisfied with the suture, Sakura impatiently ripped off the rest of his gi (the damn thing was in tatters anyways) and wrapped the rest of the wounds to his torso in the fresh bandages from her pack. Once finished she walked over to the sink and washed the blood from her hands. Grabbing a few bottles from her bag she strode back over to her patient.

His hair was matted around his face, distorting his features. His breathing was still labored and he was coated in a cold sweat, despite the rapidly warming cabin. She was sure he was suffering from a respiratory infection, if not pneumonia. The former medic-nin slipped a couple pills into his mouth and tipped a bottle of water at his lips. The man swallowed out of reflex, coughing hard.

His breathing eased almost instantly and Sakura smiled at the weak sigh of relief that passed from his lips. Even if he was unconscious it seemed his body was appreciative of her ministrations.

"Well we're not out of the woods just yet." She said softly, gently laying him back down onto the makeshift futon. "But I think you'll make it yet."

Sakura took a moment to study the man. During his treatment she'd barely paid attention to his actual features, her mind only taking in the things relevant to his survival. With a soft smile on her face she brushed the hair from his face. And her heart… fucking… stopped…

With a soft scream she jumped back, reflexively drawing the kunai hidden under her obi. Her eyes were wide as saucers and her heart was thundering in her chest.

Not here… It couldn't be… not him…

She couldn't move; couldn't breathe; couldn't even think.

There on the futon, was the man that made her life the hell it was now; the man that had tortured her and stolen everything from her.

An explosive blast of thunder rocked the small hut, momentarily blinding her.

"Sasuke!?"

* * *

Sakura sighed heavily, throwing another log into the fire. Throwing a wary glance over her shoulder to make sure her "patient" was still unconscious she walked over to the kitchen and started making some tea for herself. The smell of jasmine filled the small hut and she smiled wearily, rubbing her sore neck.

She'd forlorn her kimono long ago and changed into a pair of sweats and a long sleeve shirt. Her clothes had been soaked and she needed to warm up. She'd found a small bedroom off to the side and moved her things in there, taking the opportunity to change. She hadn't slept in nearly twenty four hours and it was taking its toll on her slim frame. She was already sleep deprived as it was, but she didn't dare close her eyes withhim still unconscious.

"Bastard…" She grumbled angrily, letting her eyes drift to the man still lying unconscious in the middle of the cabin. He'd scared the living hell out of her. She knew she couldn't resent him for it; it wasn't his fault he looked so damn much like him.

Terror didn't describe the emotions she'd felt when she first got a good look at his face. He looked so much like him it scared the fuck out of her. She'd thought she'd just saved the man that destroyed her entire world. It had taken all of her strength and raw willpower to not pack up and leave that instant.

Her initial panic had faded quickly though. He looked so much like Sasuke she didn't blame herself for the confusion, but it definitely wasn't the rouge Uchiha.

His features were more angular than Sasuke's, though not quite as heavily defined as Itachi's. He was of a slightly thinner build (although judging from how heavy he was she was sure he was more muscular than _him_) and his body was much leaner. She was pretty sure she'd never met anyone that was as in shape as he was, herself included. Yeah, he was definitely built for speed not power. Though given his obvious heritage there was no telling.

The warrior's long, jet black hair was what set him apart from his kinsmen in her eyes though. Shinobi were not known to wear their hair long, as it hindered movement and in some cases (mostly that of kunoichi) it became an easy weakness to exploit. She remembered all too well the times she'd dragged her around by her pink tresses. The only reason she hadn't cut it again was because it helped her blend in with the villagers.

This man seemed to think himself an exception to that notion, though. His bangs fell past his chin, and judging from the length of the hair splayed out underneath him, it had to go down to the small of his back easily.

He also seemed to lack the aristocratic, almost regal features common to those of his clan. She remembered seeing Itachi years ago and the stoic, emotionless face that every Uchiha she'd ever met had. And that Included that bastard. But this man seemed different… Maybe it was the fact that he was at death's door but he looked… well…

He looked human to her.

"God damn Uchiha clan…" She grumbled. Admittedly this man, whoever he was, had done nothing to her. Despite that… He was definitely an Uchiha, and that alone was enough for Sakura to distrust him. She had plenty of questions for him, that's for sure.

Burying her head in her hands Sakura half growled, half sighed in frustration.

"I'll never get away from them will I?" She groaned softly. Leaning against the counter and sipping her tea, she resigned herself to wait for the man to wake up. She definitely wanted to have a talk with him, but in his condition there was no telling when he'd wake. In the back or her mind she felt like she should've just left him out there to die, but she knew she could never do such a thing. "Why do I have a conscience?" She growled.

She watched the man sleeping in the middle of the cabin warily. Sakura had been a trusting person all her life, always willing to give people the benefit of the doubt, but after everything that happened… Well she was different now. All of the Uchiha were supposed to be dead except for Sasuke and Itachi, and that meant either he managed to escape Itachi (which even Sakura had to admit was highly unlikely), or he was never a recognized member of the clan and had escaped detection his entire life. Either option seemed to point to one fact. This man was highly dangerous.

The walls of the shack shook slightly under the howling wind outside.

"The storm's getting worse." She murmured as she sat down next to the roaring fire. She threw a glance towards the window but all she could see was snow. The snow had been falling non-stop since she found him. Dawn had come almost an hour ago but the world outside was still obscured by the blankets of white falling from the heavens.

It was with a grim realization that Sakura hung her head in defeat. Despair filled her mind and she felt utterly defeated. There was no changing it now. She curled into a haphazard ball against the wall next to the fireplace, the heat from the flames soaking into her all the way to the bone.

She was stuck here now, for at least the next few months with a man she knew for a fact had killed someone not even a few hours earlier. And on top of that, he was related to the man that took everything from her…


	3. Chapter 3

Eyes of the Devil Rewrite Chapter 3

A/N- well thanks to my one and only reviewer so far. ^^ I really do appreciate reviews and I would love to have more. Just a hint…

Anyways, on with the story!

_Her head felt like it was going to explode from the pain, her body slamming down into the hard wooden floor. Hot blood trickled down the back of her neck and down her forehead, dripping into her left eye. Her lungs were screaming for air and she tried to inhale, only to cry out in pain as her bruised ribs burned in protest._

"_Still so fragile, little blossom?" Came his voice from across the room. He was almost whispering the words as if he was speaking to a lover, but Sakura knew better. Behind his velvety voice was nothing but pain, suffering, and darkness. The kind of darkness she knew all too well…_

_Sakura heaved herself up and managed to gaze back at him fiercely, despite the crimson liquid burning in her eye. Every ragged breath burned in her lungs. Her kimono was tattered and torn, her body covered in bruises and cuts. Stressed muscles in her arms sent searing pain through her beaten body as she tried to hold herself up._

_She forced herself to glare at him, her green eyes burning with anger, fear, sorrow and every other emotion she felt. After everything that's happened to her, she'd be damned if he saw he cowering in fear again!_

_His crimson eyes darkened dangerously at her. Who did she think she was? She was his!_

_Rage thrummed through him as he began to go over the best ways to break her. He, of course, knew every way to make her crumble. After all, destroying her had been his favorite hobby for those glorious months he had her._

_Then it came to him._

_Slowly, meaningfully, his hand drifted to the hilt of his sword, and Sakura's heart stopped. The soft click and following ringing sound filled the room he drew the blade from its resting place on his back. The moment it was free of the sheath was the same moment all of her defiance and anger went out the fucking window._

"_So you got some of your old fight back huh?" He said lazily, flipping the sword in his hand to rest over his shoulder._

_Her body was shaking so hard he was surprised her teeth weren't chattering. Those hands of hers, which he knew from experience could be soft as silk or rough as leather, were clutching at the floor as she tried to hold herself up._

_The young kunoichi's pale green eyes were wide and full or terror, glued to the sword he held lazily in his hand. He knew full well the terror that his weapon could inspire in her, and the knowledge made him smirk evilly. Oh the pleasures he had in mind for her. Just thinking of how much fun he was going to have made his blood. He couldn't wait to be covered in her blood once more._

_The mad gleam in his eyes grew darker as he took a step towards her, a low growl resounding in his chest. His sneer only grew as she tried to move scurry away, only for her to meet the cold, hard wood of the wall behind her._

"_I missed you, Sakura." He purred, taking another step towards her, purposefully making his movements slow and meaningful. All of her defiance crumbled with each step he took. She cringed back, recoiling from his very presence with a soft, strangled cry._

"_No…" She begged. Hot tears threatened to spill down her face as every memory of everything he'd done to her, everything he'd taken from her came slamming back, along with the knowledge of everything he would do now that he had her again._

_Smoke was pouring in from all directions, burning in her lungs and her eyes. The heat from the fire consuming the building was almost overwhelming. The rafter creaked above their head and Sakura could see the glow of the flames spreading across them._

"_Mine again." He murmured, mere inches from her now._

_Sakura screamed and struck out at him. Her fist swung with all the strength she could muster in her weakened state but he merely deflected the attack as if he were swatting an insect. Growling he viciously slammed her hands to the wall bruising her knuckles and nearly snapping her wrists._

_She cried out, terror filling her as he closed the gap between her bodies. He was barely an inch from her now._

"_Please… No more Sasuke… Not again…" She begged._

"_Now I'll take you back." He growled. Bending down he brushed his fingers over her cheek tenderly. Sakura jerked away from him, only to have him grab her by her jaw roughly and pull her back to meet his gaze. His blood red eyes shown with fury and she knew that only meant pain. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a voice she didn't recognize._

"_Let her go, Sasuke."_

Sakura bolted up, barely managing to stifle the terrified cry from leaving her. As usual her clothes were soaked in sweat and she was out of breath; par for the course as far as her usual nightmares were concerned. Still, that one was very, very different. She tried as hard as she could to remember but try as she might it was already gone. She ran her fingers through her sweaty hair, growling softly. She buried her head in her hands and took several long, deep breaths. It took everything she had to suppress the tears burning in her eyes, threating to spill over.

It took her almost ten minutes to regain her composure. She just sat there, starring at the wooden floor, forcing her runaway emotions back under her control. Finally she let out a deep sigh of relief and sat up straight, now in control.

"It's fucking cold." She grumbled softly, pulling the blanket tighter over her thin frame and stretching her tired body at the same time, mewling softly. Glancing over at the fireplace she noticed that it was roaring still, much to her surprise. She cautioned a glance at the window and grimaced. The sun had gone down long ago, nothing but darkness and blankets of white visible to her. "Guess it's still snowing…" She mumbled aloud.

Then her entire thought process ground to a screeching halt.

Something wasn't right… She didn't remember falling asleep, nor having a blanket. In fact if memory served, there had only been one blanket…

Terror coursed through her as her eyes shot to the make shift bed in the middle of the room…

It was empty…

Ice flowed in her veins.

"You're finally awake."

Sakura's heart stopped as her gaze swept immediately to her left, green eyes wide with shock.

Time seemed to freeze as he came into view.

He was standing in the kitchen, leaning nonchalantly against the small wooden table with his arms crossed above his semi bare chest. He'd put his gi back on, despite the blood and tears littering the fabric. His long dark hair had also been tied back into a lazy ponytail, the midnight tresses flowing down his back. The man just stood there, his seemingly loose stance holding an inherent danger that was palpable in the very air around them.

Slowly her gaze rose to meet his own, and she couldn't help the surprised gasp that left her as she locked eyes with him.

Now that he was awake his features looked less and less like Sasuke. His face was thinner and instead of his hair framing his face like Sasuke's it acted as a curtain for his own, hiding his grey eyes (that's the only way she could describe them at the moment) and shadowing his face a bit. His raven bangs hung almost straight down, giving him an air of mystery. But it wasn't his face that made her gasp.

His eyes were beautiful. Most of the iris was a soft grey color, with the color darkening steadily from silver to the normal Uchiha onyx around the pupil. The swirl of colors drew her in, mesmerizing her. His gaze was so intense it made her stomach twist and she could swear she was starting to sweat.

He opened his mouth to speak again, causing reality to come smashing back down on her.

Old reflexes kicked in and Sakura bridged the gap between in less than a second; planting her left foot with a determined growl she spun into a roundhouse, putting enough force behind it to send him through the wall.

Without so much as taking a breath he threw up his arm and blocked her attack. The smack of the impact reverberated through the small cabin, making anything not nailed down shake and Sakura swore she heard the kitchen window crack.

Sakura's eyes widened. He'd just blocked a kick that had knocked hunter Nin out cold with almost no effort, only an expression of mild surprise and curiosity on his face. He raised an eyebrow at her, almost as if he was trying to ask her some sort of unspoken question.

For some reason this enraged her to no end. How dare he act like she was nothing!

The pink haired girl growled and unleashed a barrage of taijutsu at the seemingly arrogant Uchiha before her, and as if just to anger her more he dodged or deflected every attack. His form was perfect and he moved so fluidly it was hard to keep track of him despite that he was only defending. He was so damn fast!

He growled softly. This was getting old very quickly. She was obviously very well trained and he would have to end this quickly if he didn't want to have to hurt the poor girl.

Then he was gone. She hadn't lost sight of him, hadn't moved, hadn't even blinked and he was gone. It occurred to her in that split second that she was completely and utterly outclassed.

Next thing she knew her right arm was being twisted behind her back painfully and he was shoving it upwards so that if she tried to move her arm would snap. His other hand locked around her throat and she knew she was finished as she was slammed into the rock hard ridges of his chest. She was trapped. Her stomach turned as his proximity brought a familiar terror bubbling to the surface, her breath quickening.

She failed to notice that he wasn't exerting any pressure on her neck or arm.

"Look." He growled, close enough that his breath ghosted over her ear. Sakura went even more rigid, if possible and let out a barely audible cry of despair.

Sensing the girl's distress he took a long, rattling breath and allowed himself a moment to compose himself before trying to speak again.

"If I wanted to hurt you I could've done so a thousand times already." He spoke quietly, his deep voice reverberating in his chest and by contact through Sakura, making her even more uncomfortable. The only thing keeping her from fighting him was the hold he had on her arm. She was well aware that if she made any attempt to move he would snap her arm like a twig. "You saved me. I don't repay that kind of act with murder." He said, emphasizing the last few words.

Sakura made a noise somewhere between a growl and a sigh. She hated being completely helpless. Not to mention his statement made sense. He could've killed her a dozen times by now if he'd wanted to cause her harm. Still, it didn't mean she had to like it.

"Since when are bandits so considerate?" She spat, venom dripping from her words.

The cold, emotionless tone she spoke in shocked him. It was as if she was and empty shell, pretending to feel…

The Uchiha growled and applied a slight pressure to her arm. Not enough to hurt her, but enough to make her cry out in pain.

"I am not a common bandit. I was attacked by those cowards and I defended myself."

Sakura looked back at him incredulously, locking eyes with him for the first time since their initial contact.

"You call murdering them defending yourself?" She barked.

"They were trying to kill me. Why should I have spared them? They were murderers and thieves." He growled. "If I hadn't dealt with them they would've kept on hurting people."

Again, she deadpanned at his logic.

"Well aren't you mister hero." She grumbled.

The man behind her sighed heavily.

"Look," He started, relaxing the pressure on her arm so it wasn't hurting her anymore, "I'm not going to hurt you, alright. I'll let you go if you give me your word that you won't attack me again."

She hated the thought of having to trust an Uchiha to keep his word. They were all lying, deceiving, murderous, rapi…

No.

She'd been praised all her life for being bright and having a cool, calculating mind. Judging one man on the simple basis of his bloodline was unfair.

"Think idiot…" She growled inwardly. "He said he doesn't want to hurt you and everything he's done has been in self-defense, including the bandits and our current situation as well. If he was a bandit, or a murderous bastard like HIM, then he would've killed me already…"

She bit her lip out of habit, her mind going into overdrive. He waited patiently for her to mull things over until she finally made a decision.

Sakura gave an exasperated sigh, but nodded in defeat.

He released her and took a few steps back, watching her hesitantly.

Striding over to the kitchen table she leaned against it, much like he had been earlier, and stared at him, allowing herself to slip into her usual emotionless façade.

"Just because I'm not going to attack you anymore doesn't mean I trust you." She stated evenly, refusing to fall for the hypnotic power of his eyes again.

Sakura almost fell over when he chuckled slightly.

"You'd be a fool to." He said, striding over to the fireplace and sitting down with his back to the wall.

Sakura turned her body as he moved, never coming off guard and never giving him her back.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He gave her a quizzical look.

"It means that you have no idea who I am, and vice versa, so any trust her would be foolish." He said, his eyes locking with hers. "But, I meant what I said. I won't hurt someone who saved me. I owe you my life."

It took Sakura few minutes to process his words. That time was filled with an awkward silence as they stared at each other. The only sound was the soft crackle of the fire as it filled the small cabin with heat and light.

Her mind was brimming with questions but given how he'd reacted earlier she was unsure if she should ask them, especially if it caused another conflict.

She growled softly. There was no choice. The simple fact that he hadn't killed her yet meant that he didn't have any ill intent towards her, for now at least.

He shifted slightly next to the fireplace, and Sakura caught him wince slightly, despite his trying to hide it.

"Did your wounds re-open?" She asked softly.

"I'll be fine." He said softly, his head tilted down so his hair hid his face from her.

Sakura scoffed and strode over to him, stopping just in front of him. Bending down to her knees she reached out to examine him, but he caught her hand in his own in a flash. He rolled his head back to rest against the wall, his hair falling so only half his face was visible. Her expression hardened.

"I gave you my word, didn't I?" She said sternly, staring him right in the eyes. "Now let me look at your wounds before you bleed out on the floor."

After a long moment he released her hand and moved forward slightly so she could examine him properly, slipping his gi off of his shoulder.

At first being this close to a conscious, very dangerous Uchiha once again made her stomach turn and her hands start to shake, but after a moment of mental chastising she fell back into the role of medic quite naturally, examining his shoulder with a careful eye.

"Well you got lucky." She said after a few moments. "The stitches didn't tear, they just got tugged a bit and it bled a little. You'll be fine but I need to change the bandages."

She strode over and grabbed her medical bag off of the table. Walking back over to him, she sat down and set about re-bandaging his wound. There was an almost semi-comfortable silence between the two of them as she worked, until he spoke up unexpectedly.

"Thank you." He said softly.

"For what?" She asked as she continued her task, wrapping his arm in white cloth.

"For saving my life." He said, so lowly that she barely heard it.

"No need to thank me. I could never just let someone die." She said, trying to act like she was focusing on her task. "My name is Sakura, by the way." She said in afterthought.

"Nice to meet you, Sakura."

His voice was deep and reverberated in his chest when he talked. It reminded her of her few brief encounters with Itachi Uchiha, but this man's voice was more gravelly than Itachi's smooth baritone. Still, it wasn't exactly hard on the ears.

She finished setting his bandages in silence. He was content to let her work and she was focused on the task at hand.

"Look there's something I should tell you." She mumbled. She let her eyes meet his gaze for a minute, but dropped them back to the things she was stuffing back into her bag.

He gave her an odd look, but nodded for her to continue.

"I'm…" She began, unsure of what to say. "I'm from Konoha." She blurted out. He immediately tensed as soon as the words left her mouth. She met his gaze and his eyes burned into her, his gaze intense as he read her every feature for the slightest threat.

"So you know who I am?" He said carefully after a few moments.

"Not exactly…" She said, doing her best to hold his gaze as she spoke. "I know that you're an Uchiha, but that's it…"

Again, he mulled over what she said to him for a few minutes before he spoke again. As each minute passed Sakura grew more and more tense, terrified that this unknown and obviously rouge shinobi would kill her for revealing his identity.

"Are you a hunter?" He asked. His tone was soft but Sakura sensed the imminent danger behind his words.

"I'm no longer a part of the village hidden in the leaves." She said her eyes on the floor.

"I'm sorry." He said. Sakura's gaze raised to me his, his words shocking her. "Leaving it behind was hard for me; I can't imagine what it was like for someone who didn't leave of their own volition." He said softly.

"How did…" She began, but he cut her off.

"I could tell by the look in your eyes when you spoke of the village." He said.

They fell into a calm silence again, staring into each other's eyes. She swore she saw a look of forlorn sadness cross his features as he spoke of the village, giving her the distinct feeling that there was a lot that he wasn't telling her.

"So…" Sakura said, purposefully leaving the sentence open.

"I am an Uchiha." He said. "There's no changing that."

"Can I know your name?" She asked hesitantly.

"No." He said suddenly, his tone growing hard.

"Why?" She asked incredulously, glaring at him. She had told him her name; the least he could do was return the courtesy.

"Trust me Sakura; you're better off not knowing my name." He said softly. She was going to argue but something in his voice and the way he hid behind his bangs when he spoke put her off somehow. The sadness in his voice was unnerving.

She gave another heavy sigh, her hundredth that night probably. Brushing a hand through her pink hair she studied the man before her.

"So just what do I call you then? Uchiha?"

He looked back at her, emerald meeting swirling gray, and she saw the smallest ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Call me Hei."

A/n- sorry this took so long to come up with but I couldn't make up my mind on how it would go when "Hei" woke up. I think I did ok. And it's pronounced hey, not he-A, btw. Pronunciation is one of my little quirks. As for Sakura, she doesn't quite trust our mystery man yet, but something deep down is telling her she should… or is she simple going batshit from all the horrible things she's endured? And as for Hei, why is he so hesitant to give his name? Why did he say she'll be safer? How the fuck is another Uchiha alive? We'll see. As always, reviews are appreciated.


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